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Lake Ainslie is a beautiful
body of fresh water in the very centre of Inverness County. It is twelve
miles long, with an average width of three miles. The East side is called
East Lake, and the west, West Lake. It is named Ainslie after the last
Governor of the Island of Cape Breton. Both the East and the West sides
are now densely peopled. Every spring Trout and Alewives come up from the
sea into this lake in bounteous quantities, via the South "West Branch of
the Margaree River, which has its source at Scotsville. Not many salmon
from the sea ascend this South West river in summer, preferring the colder
waters of the North East branch; but in the autumn spawning time they come
up in force. And we heard a voice saying that the casualties are usually
heavy.
The Northern tip of this
Lake at Loch Ban is within three miles of the Gulf of Saint Laurence, and
the Southern end, or Head Lake, is within seven miles of the waters of
Whycocomagh as the crow flies. The people inhabiting the West side are
largely Catholics, those on the East all Presbyterian Protestants. The
placid Lake gives both an equal opportunity to wash away their sins.
Nearly a decade of the 19th
century had passed before people began to settle at West Lake. One of the
first to come was Allan McCormick who had been for some years in Prince
Edward Island. He was married and had two children and a lot of land on
yonder Island. His wife having died, he sold out his property in P.E.I,
and gave the young children in charge to certain friends. When those
children grew up they got married over there, and never came to Cape
Breton. Allan McCormick selected and acquired a large tract of land at
West Lake Ainslie, near the mouth of Black River. He got married again to
Margaret McLellan of Broad Cove, with issue: Donald, Allan, Angus,
Catherine, Ann and Mary.
Mary died young. Ann was
married to one Angus McDonald, who formerly lived at Black River, but
subsequently removed from there. Catherine was married to Hugh McDougall
of Rear West Lake and had a family.
Donald (son of Allan) was
married to a Miss McLellan of S. W. Margaree, but had no family. He and
his brother Allan Jr. always remained on the parental farm, and were
always quiet and comfortable.
Allan was married twice and
had a large family by the first, and a smaller family by the second
marriage. Three of his sons by the first wife were: Reverend Michael
McCormick P.P. of East Bay, the late John McCormick, Medical Doctor of
Boston, Mass. and Joseph McCormick Chief Police of Sydney, C. B.
Angus, (son of Allan) was
married to Catherine McLellan, Ronald's daughter of Strathlorne, and had a
fine family of sons and daughters. In his younger years Angus was a school
teacher in Inverness County. Later on he engaged in a retail business at
the mouth of Black River which he continued all his life. He was highly
thought of by customers and creditors. When Municipal Councillors were
created to govern local affairs in the County he was elected by the
District of West Lake, and could not be defeated until his fatal final
illness disabled him for public service. He was loved and respected by the
whole district.
Angus MacDougall (Ban) came
to West Lake about the year 1812. He was a native of Moidart, Scotland,
and had spent several years in Antigonish before coming to Cape Breton.
His first wife died in Antigonish leaving with him the following family,
namely: Duncan, John, Allan, Angus, Hughie, Donald, Margaret, Mary and
Katie. He married again after coming to the Lake to a Miss McFar-lane by
whom he had one other son Alexander.
The daughter Katie was
married to John McDonald, Og; the daughter Mary to John Rankin; and the
daughter Margaret to Dougald MacDougall. All three had large families.
The son Duncan was married
to Mary McDougall of Broad Cove Banks, with issue: Donald, Duncan,
Alexander, Margaret, Ann and Mary Ann.
John (son of Angus Ban) was
married to Jessie MacDonald of Broad Cove Chapel with issue: Alexander,
Ronald, John, Angus, Margaret, Catherine and Christie. The three daughters
and the sons John and Angus never got married.
The son Angus was a
superior dancer. He would be invited to every frolic and wedding, and was
thus neglecting his duties at home, whereat his father was very indignant.
The priest of Broad Cove, knowing the old man's feelings in that regard,
met the latter on the road and started praising Angus as a dancer. "Yes",
quoth the irate father, "he can dance, the little sense that God gave him
all dropped into his feet."
Allan (son of Angus Ban )
was married to Catherine McEachen of Mount Young, Mabou, with issue: John,
Alexander, Angus, Donald, Stephen, John Jr., Margaret, Mary and Julia.
Margaret, Angus, Stephen and John Jr. were married and had families: all
the rest of the family died young and unmarried.
Angus (son of Angus Ban)
lived on a rear farm, was married to Jessie Gillis from Judique, and had a
family of four sons and two daughters, namely: John, Alexander, John Jr.,
Donald, Mary and Margaret. The daughters remained single, as did also
Donald, and John Jr. John and Alexander were married and had families, the
former with his family remained on the homestead, the latter having a farm
and being in charge of the railway station at Glencoe.
Hugh, also, occupied a rear
lot, but was a great hustler and got along well. He was married to a
daughter of Allan McCormick, Sr.
Alexander, son of Hugh, has
been away in the Western States for about forty years. Angus is home on
the farm doing well, and Margaret was married to Donald Burke and is now
dead.
Alexander (son of Angus Ban
by the second wife) remained on a front lot of the large tract of land
owned by his father, The brothers Duncan, Allan, John and Alexander lived
side by side on the Lake Front, each owning two hundred acres of the land
acquired by their father Angus Ban.
This Alexander was married
to Mary McLellan, daughter of Alexander McLellan of West Lake, and left
one son, Angus, who is now dead. This lot owned by Alexander is now
vacant.
John MacDonald (Iain Mac
Allaisdair) came from Uist to Prince Edward Island and thence to West
Lake, about the year 1814. He' also acquired a large tract of land. He had
one son John, Og, and six daughters, to wit, Mary married to Thomas Burke,
Sarah to Archibald McIntyre, Ann to a Mr. Sullivan, Catherine to a Mr.
McPhee, Christie married in P.E.I, and Mary married to Dennis Murphy.
John Og, was married to
Katie daughter of Angus Ban MacDougall, and had the following family:
Angus, Alexander, John, Donald, Margaret, Ann, Rachel, Mary, Dolly,
Margaret and Katie.
Donald McKinnon from the
Isle of Muck was the next pioneer farmer at West Lake. He lived next to
John Og McDonald, was married and had the following family: Malcolm,
Hector, Alexander, Neil, Donald (Ban) John, Ann, Jessie and Margaret.
John was a tailor and
several of the other brothers were carpenters, but all owned farms, and
all did well.
The next to the McKinnons was Donald McDonald (Domhnull MacChallum) who
came from Uist, Scotland, and took up the farm at Mason's Point on which
his son James (Red Jim) afterwards lived and died. This James was the
father of that honest, hard-working man, Donald J. MacDonald, Municipal,
Councillor, who died quite recently.
John Walker was from Uist,
Scotland, and pitched his tent near the mouth of Hay River, where he took
up a large farm fronting the Lake. He had four sons, Donald, Alexander,
Roderick and Angus. The first three named sons took farms up for
themselves to the rear of Hay River, the son Angus remaining on the front
farm blazed out by his father. From these four sons are descended all the
Hay River Walkers we know, — and their name is legion. This old John
Walker was a rugged Scotsman of industry and ambition. The beautiful farm
at Hay River now left to his grandson Archibald is pretty good evidence
that strenuous things "were doing" there in former times.
What is known as "The Glebe
Farm" at West Lake was formerly owned by one John McEachern, who rejoiced
in the soubriquet of "Yellow Top". He had a large family but all traces of
him and them have long since disappeared.
Big John McDonald had three
able sons, Angus, Donald and Allan. Angus lived on the rear of the Lake,
Donald and Allan on the front. Allan is well remembered by our readers as
one of the most affable men of West Lake, and one of the most prosperous.
The farms of Donald and Allan are now in the hands of their respective
sons.
We do not rightly know who
was the original holder of the next farm. Donald McVarish lived there
long, and had a family. He sold it to John Gillis, who deeded it to the
present owner D. F. MacDonald. But we have doubts as to McVarish being the
pioneer settler there.
Long ago we heard of a man
who owned a farm around there, but left before our time. His name was
Alexander McDonald, commonly known as "Black Sandy." He may have been the
first settler on this farm. We remember Black Sandy only from a story
which we had from the old people concerning him. He got up a mowing and a
reaping frolic one day to which he invited the whole country side. He was
afraid they would not come but to his glad surprise they came in full
strength, and long before sunset there was not a blade on the farm left
uncut. Black Sandy was happy. The neighbours wanted no recompense but a
night-frolic. They would get that, and did. After dark the night frolic
commenced, and the song-singing, and the dancing, and the drinking, and
finally the most general and unrestrained fighting that night in America.
Black Sandy was so grateful for the work they did for him that he made no
protest. When they got tired fighting, they began to break every moveable
thing in the house. Still no objection from Black Sandy. At last they
began pulling the windows out of the house, throwing them on the floor and
dancing on them. Flesh and blood could not stand that. Black Sandy went
outside; came back with blood in his eye and the axe in his hand,ready to
slice them all up, one after the other. They knew what he meant. That
crowd got flying in pairs, through the doors, through the windows, through
every opening that promised an escape from instant death. In five minutes
there was not a soul on the premises except Black Sandy and his wife,
sitting silently by the ingle side, looking hard into the fire. At length,
Sandy got out of his reverie, looked at his disconsolate spouse, and said:
"Ah, Mary, those fellows are gone". The woman's sad reply was merely: "Oh
yes." The sympathetic remark with which Black Sandy then dismissed the
subject was "Condemn them: they were nice as long as they stayed".
We come now to a block of
land containing one thousand acres granted by the Crown to Captain Angus
MacDonald, Tulloch, and his brother, Captain Ronald MacDonald. The latter,
having decided not to remain at the lake, sold his moiety to John Mclsaac
of Big River, Broad Cove. Mr. Mclsaac went to live on the five hundred
acre lot which he had bought. It was not long before this lot became the
subject of a most peculiar lawsuit. An action was brought by Mr. Crawley,
the Surveyor General at Sydney, for trespass on two hundred acres of land
which he claimed between the several lots of the two MacDonalds. Mclsaac
and the MacDonalds were made defendants and the case was fought out in the
Supreme Court at Port Hood before a Judge and Jury. The plaintiff was non
suited; a new action was commenced forthwith. It was fought out again at
Port Hood, and again a verdict was given for defendants. The plaintiff
appealed again, and got another order for a new trial, with a change of
venue to Antigonish. The case was tried in Antigonish resulting in a
repetition of the old verdict for the defendants. Another appeal was taken
which seems to have died in Halifax. Nothing more was ever heard of the
case. Mr. Mclsaac sat down to enjoy what he bought, and remained with it
till his death at an old age. The case was never determined at law, except
by lapse of time and the natural death of all the parties in interest —
their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns.
We have not seen the record
of this case, nor the documentary title to the lands. The following
version of the facts was given to us by an old gentleman at West Lake:—
When the Tulloch
application for Grant was accepted and completed, a Surveyor was
instructed to go to West Lake to measure and lay out the land. Mr.
Crawley, the Surveyor General, asked the Surveyor to mark out for him (Mr.
Crawley) two hundred acres somewhere along the front of that Lake.
To West Lake the surveyor
came, and Capt. Angus Tulloch and several neighbours went with him to see,
measure, and lay out, the Tulloch lands. The surveyor measured out one
thousand acres in one solid block, designating the Northern half for Capt.
Ronald MacDonald, and the Southern half for Capt. Angus. The boundaries
were clearly marked and established to the satisfaction of all hands.
That evening the surveyor
and Capt. Angus Tulloch fell into a disputation on some other subject not
connected with these lands. The argument ended in a rushing exchange of
hot personal compliments.
The surveyor's subsequent
plan showed the two Tulloch lots separately, in two narrow strips, running
out into the interior wilds, far beyond the general rear line of the Lake
lots, and showing between them a two hundred acre lot for Crawley. The
Tullochs and Mclsaac refused to recognize this new plan (of wrath),
standing by the actual lines, corners, and measurements made in the survey
by the surveyor in their own presence. Hence the legal tournament.
We understand the
surveyor's name was Childs: if so, the terminating "s" was pretty well
worn off before the Tullochs were done with him.
The Tulloch MacDonalds, a
family of prowess and high spirit, are descended from Angus, second son of
John Dubh (First of Bohun-tin or Sliochd an Taighe) son of Ronald Mor VII
Chief of Keppoch. The Tullochs of Inverness County are from Captain Angus
Tulloch MacDonald and his wife a daughter of MacDonald of Killiechonate, a
family descended from Donald Glas VI of Keppoch. Captain Tulloch and his
brother-in-law of Killiechonate "An-t-Oifigeach Dhu" gallantly
distinguished themselves at the capture of Louisburg in 1758 and were
handsomely pensioned by the British Government.
Captain Tulloch's family
were (1) Ronald who emigrated to Prince Edward Island (2) Angus, who
emigrated from Lochaber, Scotland, in 1807 and settled at Lake Ainslie. He
married Mary daughter of Allan MacDonald of Broad Cove Banks with issue
five sons and three daughters, namely, (a) Allan who married Mary daughter
of Hugh MacDonald (Eoghan Iain Mhoir) of Black River (b) John, who for a
number of years conducted a general store at Lake Ainslie. John's first
wife was Mary daughter of Angus MacLellan (Aonghas Mac Dhom-hnuill Og) of
Broad Cove and his wife Flora MacDonald of the Glenaladale family, P.E.I.
His second wife was Jessie, daughter of Diogenes MacDonald of River
Dennis, (c) Angus who married Flora MacDonald daughter of Donald MacDonald
(Diolladair) of Black River (d) Neil whose first wife was Ann MacDonald a
sister of his brother Angus' wife. Neil's second wife was Margaret
daughter of Hugh Cameron of South West Mabou, (e) Alexander who married
Margaret, daughter of the above named Hugh MacDonald. Alexander was
engaged in commercial business at Brook Village for upwards of fifty years
in which sphere, through probity and hard work, he occupied a prominent
place. He died December 2nd, 1919. Alexander MacDonald (Tulloch's) family
are: Angus, Hugh, John, Alexander, Catherine — (Nursing Sister — who was
overseas during the Great War and did splendid service at Bramshott,
Boulogne and Amiens) Mary, Margaret and Ann Belle. (f) Mary married Angus
MacDonald of Lake Ainslie. (g) Margaret and Ann remained unmarried.
(3) Margaret daughter of
Captain Tulloch married Donald MacDonald (An-t-Saoir) of Bohuntin,
Scotland, See Poplar Grove. A fourth son Alexander of Donald An-t-Saoir
and Margaret Tulloch settled at Port Hastings. He was a sea Captain. He
was drowned on a voyage home from Newfoundland in 1852. Captain Ronald
MacDonald, a mariner of note, who died at North Sydney on August 8th,
1919, was a son of Alexander's.
Captain Ronald was a
typical Scot, a splendid entertainer and an enthusiastic student of
Highland literature and tradition.
(4) Mary daughter of
Captain Tulloch married John Beaton of Mabou Mines, — See Poplar Grove.
(5) Another daughter of
Captain Tulloch married Andrew Mc-Innis of Mabou Mines from whom the
family of the late Hugh Mac-Eachern (Eoghan Dhu) of Judique and several
families in Prince Edward Island.
Captain Angus McLellan, who
came with his father from Scotland to Antigonish afterwards took up a farm
at West Lake, and in the neighborhood of the Tulloch estate. He was
married and had a young family coming here. Owing to his military position
and association in the old land, the Captain and his family would appear
to have some advantages over the most of their neighbours in respect of
headlights.
They could read and write some, and talk plenty English of a special
brand.
Naturally, the gallant
Captain was, also, of a soldierly turn of mind. He was not one little bit
too easily scared. At that time, West Lake, like the rest of the wide
forest, abounded in wild animals. Bears and deer were particularly
plentiful. Armed with only the woodsman's axe, Captain McLellan killed six
of the former and one of the latter as a pleasant diversion from his day's
drudgery. Any wandering moose that came within the reach of his musket
paid the penalty of nature so quickly that it never knew what happened it.
Shortly after coming here,
one of Captain McLellan's youngest children died. There were no imported
caskets then; and there was not a board for sale within many miles. The
Captain went to the woods, cut down a pine tree, chopped off a block the
length of a small coffin, and, with the axe and some wooden wedges, he
split that block into rough boards with which he made a little coffin. He
carried that coffin under his arm three miles along the shore, until he
came to a spit of dry land projecting into the Lake. There he interred the
first white human being ever buried at West Lake. That place was
subsequently chosen for the first Catholic cemetery at West Lake. Before
that time Indians aplenty died and were buried along this Lake. There were
three Indian graves distinctly marked, on Captain McLellan's own farm.
Thus the immigrants of the Lake had, from the very outset, a physical,
albeit uncanny, reminder of the goal we are all heading for.
Captain McLellan's family
consisted of four sons and five daughters. The sons were: Angus,
Alexander, Charles and John.
The son Angus married
Margaret McNeil of Mabou, and took up a farm at Centreville East, where
his son James is now living.
The son Alexander also took
up a farm at Centreville, near his brother, but afterwards removed from
that farm and this country. One of Alexander's daughters was married to
Alexander McDougall (son of Angus Ban). She and her husband and her only
son are long since dead. Another daughter of Alexander was married to the
late John Gillis, a native of Broad Cove, who had been for many years in
New Zealand, bought a farm at West Lake on which he lived for two score
years, and died in the town of Inverness not long ago at the age of
ninety-four years.
James (son of Captain
McLellan) was drowned on the Grand Banks, whither he had gone to fish.
The son John lived his
younger years on the old homestead with some of his sisters, and never
married. When living at the Lake with his sisters he became one of the
first and most prominent mail couriers of Inverness County. He had a
contract for carrying the mails weekly from Port Hood to Mabou, and thence
to Whycocomagh, and back to Lake Ainslie. He continued in that service for
upwards of thirty years. He travelled on foot and carried the mail on his
back. What would our auto-joy-riders say to a proposition of that kind?
Poor old John the Post! He
was getting old when we knew him, but he was a cheerful, pleasant, man to
meet. Like many more of the old-timers, he worked his passage through a
long life of uncertainties; but he did it with good grace and patience.
Angus Walker came from
Mull, Scotland, to Upper West Ainslie ninety years ago, and bought a two
hundred acre farm for $80.00 from the widow of one Donald McEachen, who
was presumably the first settler.
This Angus Walker was a
brother to the first John Walker, who had settled at Hay River, and was
married in Scotland to Catherine MacDougall of Mull by whom he had six
daughters and one son. The names of the family were as follows:
(1) Catherine, who married
Ronald Fraser, carpenter, of Arisaig, Antigonish.
(2) Effie, married to Donald McDonald of Lake Chapel;
(3) Ann, married to Peter McQuarrie, Centreville; (4) Margaret, married to
Michael McEachen of Pictou, N. S.; Mary, married to Colin McDonald of
Pictou, and John, who is now the well known and respected owner of the
homestead, and is himself a venerable octogenarian.
John was married twice,
first to Mary Kennedy of Strathlorne by whom he had Maggie, Catherine,
Mary, Jane, John Jr., and Dan. All of this family are in Boston except
Dan, who is in British Columbia, and all are doing well. He was married
the second time to Ann Walker of West Lake by whom he had the following
issue: Mary, Maggie, Katie J., Angus R., John Archibald. Angus F., and
Kenneth J.
We happen to know something
of the son "John Archibald"aboye noted. He is among the best educated
young men in Nova Scotia. Having made a full course in St. F. X.
University, Antigonish, graduating in Arts with honours, he took a post
graduate course in the Catholic University of America at Washington, where
he added an "M. A" to his ribbons; thence he went to Halifax, studied law
at Dalhousie, was admitted to the Bar of Nova Scotia, and is now
practising in Halifax as a member of the firm of "Davison, Forsyth &
Walker". Not a bad record for a young man from West Lake.
Donald Cameron, who had
sojourned for a time at South West Mabou, came to Upper West Lake
sixty-eight years ago, and lived there for the remainder of his life. He
acquired one hundred acres of land at the Lake, and was married to Flora
Walker, daughter of Angus Walker above described, with issue:—
Angus, Alexander, John,
Archibald, Maggie in Boston married to James MacDougall; Flora, who was
married to Angus Boyle, died in mid-life and was deeply mourned by all her
acquaintances; Mary, married to Charles Doe in Boston, and Bella married
to John Ormand of Boston.
The two sons, John and
Archibald, died young and unmarried. The sons, Angus and Alexander are two
of the strong farmers of West Lake, each with a well worked farm and a
well raised family. Angus has been for several years the representative of
this district in the Municipal Council at Port Hood.
THE MACDONALDS OF EAST BLACK
RIVER (Saddlers).
In the year 1816 Margaret
MacDonald, widow of Archibald MacDonald, came from Lochaber, Scotland, to
Arisaig in the County of Antigonish. She had the following family, namely:
Donald, Ronald, and Alexander; Jane, Margaret, Marcella, Mary and Ann. Two
of these daughters, Margaret and Ann were married in Scotland, the former
to Big John MacDonald, who subsequently came to Black River in the
district of Hillsboro, and the latter to Alexander MacMillan, who settled
in Judique.
In the year 1818 this widow
MacDonald, with her daughter Jane, and her two sons Donald and Ronald,
came from Arisaig, Antigonish, and took up a four hundred and fifty acre
farm near the mouth of Black River, in the district of West Lake Ainslie.
Not long afterwards the other son, Alexander who was a saddler by trade,
and his other unmarried sisters, also came to Black River with their
mother, the daughter Jane, and their older brothers Donald and Ronald.
The daughter Jane was
married to Neil McKinnon of Broad Cove Ponds, with issue: Charles,
Alexander and Catherine. While these children were very young their father
was drowned, and the care of farm and family devolved upon the mother,
brave, thrifty "Jane the Saddler". She reared her young family well and
cleverly, and had that fine farm worked up to a high state of cultivation.
Her only daughter Catherine was married to Donald McDonald of Broad Cove
Chapel. Her son Charles got married, sold the half of the farm which had
been given him, and left the County of Inverness. The son Alexander died
in Pennsylvania, unmarried.
The daughter Mary was
married in Arisaig, Antigonish, to Hugh McDonald, with issue: Alexander,
Donald, Archibald, Angus, Stephen,. Margaret, Mary and Ann.
The daughter Marcella was
married to Alexander McInnis of Upper West Lake with issue: Duncan,
Alexander, Hugh, Marcella, Katie and Ann.
The daughter Margaret, who
was married in Scotland to Big John McDonald and afterwards settled at
Black River had the following family: Hugh, Dougald, Archibald, Angus,
Elizabeth (Betty), married to Donald McPhee, and Katie married to Donald
McDonald (Mirami-chi).
Ann who was married to
Alexander McMillan and lived in Judique had the following children,
Duncan, Hugh, and two daughters whose names: were Isabel, married to
Ronald Beaton of Little Judique and Catherine, married to Angus McEachen
of Judique Mountain.
Donald MacDonald, commonly
called "Donald the Saddler", was married to Sarah McPherson, daughter of
Maurice McPherson who came from Lochaber, Scotland, to South West Mabou,
with issue: Archibald, Maurice, Alexander, Angus, John, Betty, Ann and
Flora.
Betty was married to
Dougald MacDougall of Broad Cove Banksr with issue: John, Donald,
Alexander, Lauchlin, Angus, Maurice, Alick, Jane, Sarah and Maggie.
Ann was married to Neil
MacDonald (Tulloch) with issue: John, Donald, Angus, Mary, Isabel, Sarah,
Katie, Mary, Ann and Maggie.
Flora was married to Angus
MacDonald (Tulloch) with issue: John, Alexander, Angus, Ronald, Donald,
Maurice, Joseph, Mary, Ann, Sarah and Sarah Jr. All these daughters are
dead except Ann.
Archibald (son of Donald
the Saddler) was married to Margaret MacDougall, daughter of Allan
MacDougall of West Lake, with issue: three sons and four daughters.
Maurice was a carpenter by
trade, and was married in Boston to a young lady of Irish extraction, with
issue, one son who is dead.
Alexander was also a
carpenter by trade, and usually worked in different parts of the United
States. He died unmarried in St. Louis, Illinois in 1864.
Angus died unmarried in
Montreal.
John, who always remained
with the good old homestead at Black River was married to Ann MacDonald,
daughter of Archibald MacDonald (Black Sandy) of Mount Young, with issue:
Mary, Katie, Isabel, Alexina, Flora, Ann, and Sarah, — besides two little
boys who died in infancy.
Ronald MacDonald (Saddler)
was married to Katie MacDonald, daughter of Allan MacDonald, then living
at Black Glen but afterwards moved to Glencoe, with issue: Archibald,
Alexander, Betty and Margaret.
Archibald always lived on
the farm, but never got married.
Alexander's wife was Mary
McLellan of South West Margaree by whom he had the following family,
namely: Ronald, John, Dougald, Katie, Ann, Jessie and Mary. The last two
named daughters became nuns, Jessie in Baltimore, and Mary in Maiden.
Alexander was married a
second time to Margaret McKay, with issue: John, Allan, Mary, Maggie and
Mary Catherine.
Betty (daughter of Ronald
the Saddler) was married to JohnMac-Daniel of North East Margaree, with
issue: Myles, Willie, John, Frank and Albert; Betty, Matilda, Sarah and
Margaret.
Margaret, daughter of
Ronald the Saddler, was married to Alexander Beaton (Old Squire John's
son) of North Coal Mines, Mabou, with issue: Finlay, Ronald, Alexander,
Duncan and John; Beatty, Maggie and Katie.
THE MacINNIS FAMILIES.
Angus MacInnis, Og, came
from the Isle of Barra, Scotland, to Upper West Lake in 1831. He acquired
160 acres of land fronting on the Lake, that being all the land there
which had not been taken up previously. He was married coming here to Lucy
McDonald, a native of Barra, with issue:— Neil, Charles, Angus, Margaret,
Emily, Mary, Flora and Christina.
The sons Charles and Angus
made their homes at West Lake, living side by side on separate lots of
land. Charles was married to Catherine McPherson of Big Pond, Cape Breton
County, with issue: Joseph Neil, Reverend Roderick, Angus, Mary, Lucy,
Catherine and Martina.
The son Rev. Roderick was
born at West Lake July 10th 1863, and died in Boston, in the summer of
1920. He received his education at St. F. X. College, Antigonish, and at
the Grand Seminary, Montreal, was ordained priest at Montreal, January
26th, 1900. His first charge was the parish of Red Islands, his second was
Big Pond, his third was Reserve Mines, his fourth and last, Whitney Pier.
He was a man of wonderful zeal and energy, and did a surprising amount of
good work in every place in which he labored.
Angus (son of Angus Og) was
married to Margaret McDonald of Hay River, with issue: Charles, Angus,
Lucy, Catherine, Mary, Flora and Jessie Ann. The last named is a sister of
Charity of Mount St. Vincent, Halifax.
Alexander McInnis owned a
farm further up towards Head Lake, and was married, as elsewhere stated,
to Marcella MacDonald of Black River, a sister to Donald the Saddler.
After his death two of his sons, Duncan and Alexander, owned and occupied
the property. These were very respectable people.
Duncan was married to a
daughter of Angus McLean (Ban) of Trout Brook, with issue: Alexander,
Angus, Donald, John, Margaret, Micey, Ann and Jane.
Alexander was married to a
daughter of Hugh McDougall of Whycocomagh, with issue: Hugh, John,
Marcella, Jane, Margaret, Katie, Mary, Alexina and Ann.
There is not any of these
two families now residing at West Lake.
WEST LAKE. JOHN MacISAAC AND
FAMILY.
This John MacIsaac was
married to a daughter of Thomas MacDonnell (Ban) of Indian Point, Judique
with issue: Allan, Angus, Ann, Mary, Katie, Helen and Jessie. All the
daughters lived and died unmarried, excepting Helen who was married to
Donald MacDongall, and had an interesting family of sons and daughters.
The oldest son Allan went to New Zealand in his young manhood and never
returned. The son Angus was married to Mary, daughter of Lachlan
Macdougall (Ban) of Broad Cove Banks, with issue: John, Mary,Bell, Flora,
Rosie, Annie, Mary and Katie. The widow of Angus, with her son John and
some of the daughters, now owns and occupies that fine old farm which had
been the subject of such strange litigation. It is a good farm, and the
young man, John MacIsaac who now operates it is signally industrious and
thrifty. Several American companies have been, at different times, boring
for kerosene oil on this estate. They failed to strike the real belt, but
the indications of its existence are pretty clear.
WEST BAY, DIST. NO. 16
West Bay may have seen
better days; but, through all the vicissitudes of life or fortune, it
shall never cease to be interesting. The Bay itself, from which the
district derives its name, is a particularly captivating sheet of water.
During the summer or autumn months a drive from the village of West Bay to
Marble Mountain is an outing that is hard to beat. We motored through
there last fall, and we could not if we would forget the charm of our
experience. The road follows the windings of the shore, and in large part
runs along the brow of an agreeable mountain. Driving on the mountain side
eastwardly one sees ahead of him a dark body of land which, at first
sight, looks like one long Island. On nearer approach it is found that it
is not one long Island but a cluster of small islets, each of which is an
exquisite curl of beauty. In the autumn every one of these islets, as well
as the mountain's brow, is covered with handsome groves of hardwood trees
whose foliage is decorated in all varieties of tints and hues. Imagine a
November Sun pouring down the radiance of its blessings on that placid
stretch of water and those gorgeous groves on hills and islets. A sylvan
scene of sacred power!
There are many fine farms
and good farmers in the West Bay region, although a good deal of the
district is broken up by mountains, hills and gulches. Despite some
disadvantages, farming is an important pursuit here. There is, also, a
very considerable amount of fishing of various kinds. The quarries and
lime works at Marble Mountain created an industrial enterprise of large
dimensions and great value in that section of this district. Like the most
of the world's industries, this one at Marble Mountain has suffered the
blight and aftermath of the Great War. It is devoutly to be wished that
operations here will soon resume their former activities under conditions
that will ensure lasting success.
We regret very much that
the quaint little village at the head of West Bay has recently undergone
some changes that are not satisfying. When we first visited this hamlet
some thirty years ago it was plainly athrill with the joys of living.
Times were good then, business was brisk and promising, the people were at
work and happy. Last fall we saw the place again. It had changed
enormously. Leading men had passed away; business had disappeared;
employment there was none; the outlook was dark and cheerless. All seemed
lost but hope; and that great virtue remained, strong and assertive.
The brave, intelligent,
yeomanry of the West Bay district are not to be scared away from their
duty by local little tilts with hard times. The untoward events to which
we have alluded will only serve to make these good people bend to their
work with firmer and wiser resolve. That is just the way out of all social
and economic difficulties. Don't whine: don't take cold feet; go straight
to your lawful work, and do it. Work well; work sanely; work all, for all,
in friendly feelings and good fellowship. Then, adversity takes flight;
prosperity returns; order takes its wonted seat; Justice fills the land
and rules the lives of the people; peace prevails and fears not. So may it
be with West Bay.
LIME HILL AND VICINITY, THE
MACINTYRE FAMILY.
One of the early settlers
in this section of the West Bay district was Angus MacIntyre from Harris,
Inverness, Scotland. He was married in Scotland, and had a family of one
son and two daughters. One of the two daughters died in Scotland, the
other died in Cape Breton. Mr. MacIntyre came into the West Bay district
in 1828, and took up two hundred acres of land near Lime Hill. His only
son, Norman, was married to Catherine MacInnes, with issue: Angus, John,
Peter, Murdoch, Duncan, Peter R., Margaret, Christy, Catherine and Sarah.
Margaret married D.
MacAskill of Loch Lomond in the county of Richmond, and had one son,
Malcolm, still living at Loch Lomond.
Christy married Malcolm
MacCuspic, and had a large family, five of whom are in the United States,
and one at home.
Angus married in
Provincetown, Mass. and had two daughters: Lizzie and Mary, and one son
who died young.
John was, also, married in
Provincetown, Mass. and had one daughter, Catherine, still in
Provincetown.
Peter R. was married at
home to Mary W. MacKenzie, and had three of a family, namely; Catherine,
Mary, M. and Norman D.
Donald Campbell and family
came into the West Bay district the same year (1828) that Angus MacIntyre
came and from the same place in Scotland. He was married in the old
country, and had four sons and two daughters, namely: Archy, John,
Kenneth, Angus, Christy and Margaret.
Christy married Norman
Campbell, Mary married Norman MacAskill.
The son Archy and all the
other sons were married in West Bay and had large families.
The father, Donald
Campbell, acquired 200 acres of land near, Lime Hill which constituted the
original homestead in America.
Mrs. Angus MacRonald
settled at Lime Hill in 1828. She, also came from Harris and took up two
hundred acres of land. She was married twice in Scotland, first to Hector
MacKinnon and after his death to Angus MacRonald. It does not appear that
she had any children by the second marriage. By her first husband, Hector
MacKinnon, she had Hugh, Norman, Catherine and Margaret, all of whom came
with her to West Bay. The son, Norman MacKinnon, was married at West Bay
to Mary MacRae, with issue, four boys and three girls.
Kenneth MacKenzie and
family of three sons and one daughter came to this district from Loch Alsh,
Inverness Shire, Scotland, and settled down on 200 acres of land. The
names of his children were: John, Murdoch, Duncan and Mary, all of whom
were married here and raised large families.
Alexander MacDonald (wild)
was another of the early settlers at or near Lime Hill. He also, came from
Loch Alsh and had a family of seven sons and two daughters, namely: Rory,
John, Duncan, Donald, William, Frank, Mary and Catherine. Of this family
only Frank got married at home. He (Frank) had two sons and two daughters.
Ronald MacDonald was
another of the pioneer settlers here. He took up 400 acres of land, was
married but had no family.
Charles MacInnes and family
came from Tyree, Scotland, settled down on 200 acre lot, was married, with
issue: John, Donald, Allan, Donald Jr., Flora, Mary and Isabel. None of
this family got married here.
Alexander MacLeod and
family came from Harris, Scotland. The family consisted of John, Roderick,
Mary, Margaret, Christy and Catherine. John got married here and had five
sons and three daughters. Christy got married at home here and had three
sons and two daughters.
Robert Cameron came from
Lochaber, secured 200 acres of land, and had a family of two sons and four
daughters, none of whom got married and all of whom are dead.
Robert Dallas and wife came
to West Bay district from Edinburgh Scotland, they had no family. Mr.
Dallas had some education and was the first teacher — and a good one — in
the school section at Lime Hill. Until quite recently this section was
known and named as Dallas Brook section to commemorate its first popular
and efficient teacher. |
